2.3 Summary

• Ancient trees are a habitat of conservation importance in their own right, supporting many rare and threatened species of fungi and saproxylic insects.
• Ancient trees provide a range of microhabitats such as rot holes, water pools and dead heartwood.
• The UK has more ancient trees than any other country in Europe.
• Due to the isolated nature of ancient trees and the poor dispersal powers of the specialist fungi and insects dependent on them, the effects of the loss of each tree on these species is irreversible.